Monologues

In 2003, Stephanie got really sick. As she writes on her blog, she was “off-work-for-six-months sick. Can’t-walk-around-the-block sick.” Told that there was no treatment for her diagnosis, she gave up sugar, gluten, processed foods, and adopted a plant-based diet. Here, she talks about cooking vegan, sugar- and gluten-free, what happened when she traveled in France, and why she’s decided to help others by renovating their favorite recipes through her blog.

Kimanh grew up loving chicken. Then, at age 15, she had an experience (interestingly, with chicken) that pushed her towards eating less meat - in essence, becoming an accidental vegetarian. Today, she’s adopted a diet that is 90 - 95% vegan. She shares her love for plant-based cooking, and her brilliant food photos, on her blog, Scissors Paper Wok. Here, she talks about eating veg in the UK and Australia, how she’s dealt with the challenges of a vegan diet, and her recipe for Vietnamese Wraps (complete with a fun video on how to roll them!).

On Wednesday, Marc shared his journey to veganism, along with insight on working in a corporate environment (which often means dining with clients in steakhouses), shopping for professional vegan clothing and accessories, and why changing the way he cooked wasn’t much of a challenge. He said:

Unless a recipe blatantly requires meat, I can pretty much look at any recipe and veganize it - especially with the ingredients that exist today.

That evening that we talked, Marc was planning to make one of those veganized dishes - Seitan Steaks. Today, he shares that recipe with...

Ten years ago, Marc shared an experience with his wife Lynn that encouraged both to adopt a vegetarian, and then a vegan, diet. Here, he talks about handling business dinners at steakhouses, how he shops for professional clothing, and making time to cook on a regular basis.

You live in Baltimore. How long have you been there?

I’ve lived in Maryland since 1991 - that was actually the first time I lived in the US. My dad was a Foreign Service officer, so I was born in DC, and three weeks after that, we were in Germany. From then on, we lived in a lot of different...

What would a few minutes of driving behind a chicken truck mean for you? For Lynn and her husband, Marc, it planted a seed. A few weeks later, the image was alive in their minds when they confronted the realities of factory farming through a front page article in The Washington Post. They immediately became vegetarian, (and eventually, vegan), and never looked back. Here, Lynn talks about lessons from her work on an animal sanctuary, adjusting to a vegetarian kitchen, and her evolving approach to sharing her choice with others.

Last week, Amy shared her journey to a plant-based life with us. Today, she shares a veganized version of her favorite meal, from her favorite restaurant in college - The Topopo Salad from El Azteco.

From Amy:

“Topopo” means volcano, and as prepared at “El Az”, this is a huge salad for two people. The Topopo Salad is presented with the salad on top of the nacho base in a big pointed mound (the volcano.) You could add 2.5 oz vegan chicken, if you’d like.

Ten years ago, while working for the ACLU, Amy came to see the operations of the meat industry as a civil rights issue. She became vegetarian, and eventually, after years of battling significant gastrointestinal issues, found a near-immediate cure through veganism. Here, she talks about making sure she doesn’t trick herself into thinking vegan = healthy, choosing a diet for her dogs, and her approach to hosting non-vegans in her home.

You grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and now work for the ACLU in Maryland. When and where in that journey did you first think about...